Deployment 3: Emergency Medical Mission to Gaza

Our third emergency medical mission to Gaza occurred during a period when the entire health system was under extreme pressure. Between late February and early March 2024, a small but skilled surgical team from our charity arrived at European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in the south. Their goal was simple but critical: to provide urgent orthopaedic, trauma, and anaesthetic care at a time when the local hospitals were overwhelmed with injured patients. This mission was part of a larger effort to deliver medical aid to Gaza and support humanitarian aid in Palestine during one of the hardest moments in recent years.

This deployment happened while the situation in Gaza continued to worsen. More than two million people were facing growing hardships, shortages, and unsafe living conditions throughout the Gaza and the West Bank regions. Many families were struggling with limited access to healthcare, damaged hospitals, and a health system pushed far beyond capacity in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The Journey In

On 28 February 2024, our team faced a significant delay. All coordinated movement into Gaza was temporarily suspended after a security incident involving a UN convoy. Because of this, the team waited 48 hours before being allowed to enter. These delays are common, especially as Israeli authorities control the flow of humanitarian teams through the Rafah border crossing, which is one of the few remaining routes into the area. It showed once again how unpredictable and risky humanitarian work can be in this region.

Many aid organisations, including the United Nations Relief teams, the Relief and Works Agency (often known as UNRWA, the Nations Relief and Works body for Palestinian refugees), the World Health Organisation, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent, face the same challenges when trying to deliver support, medical supplies, and essential services across Gaza and the West Bank.

When our team was finally granted entry, they moved quickly. On 29 February 2024, work began. The mission continued until 11 March, a total of 11 days on the ground. Even though it was shorter than past missions, the overwhelming need and daily flow of new trauma cases meant every hour counted.

The Medical Team

Our mission included three highly experienced consultants:

• Dr Basil Budair – Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon
• Dr Ahmed Kafafy – Consultant Anaesthetist & Pain Management Specialist
• Dr Mohammed Abdus-Samee – Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon

Their combined expertise helped them manage complex, war-related injuries. They provided critical medical care in a setting where hospitals were stretched thin and struggling with shortages of staff, equipment, and anaesthetic supplies. Their work supported a health system already weakened by the events of October 2023 and unable to meet the needs of the large numbers of injured people arriving each day.

Mission Objectives

The key goals of Deployment 3 were:

• Provide trauma and orthopaedic surgery when hospitals were overwhelmed.
• Strengthen Gaza’s fragile health system during extreme shortages.
• Treat patients with complicated injuries requiring specialist care.
• Support exhausted local medical teams who had been working nonstop.
• Contribute to emergency humanitarian aid Palestine efforts as bombardments continued.

All objectives focused on saving lives, supporting local doctors, and helping people who had little or no access to healthcare during this crisis.

What We Did: Clinical Activity & Impact

Even with limited time and many challenges, the team completed a strong amount of medical work. During the 11-day deployment, they carried out:

• 55 inpatient consultations
• 18 nerve blocks for severe pain
• 39 major surgeries
• 14 minor surgeries
• 7 patient transfers, including medical evacuation for follow-up treatment

In total, 53 surgical procedures were performed. This significantly increased the hospital’s ability to handle trauma during one of its busiest and most stressful periods. These surgeries helped stabilise patients with broken bones, shrapnel injuries, blast wounds, and other trauma-related conditions.

Many of these injuries were life-threatening, and without this mission, some patients may not have received treatment in time. The World Health Organisation and other international bodies had already warned that medical supplies in Gaza were running dangerously low, making our team’s presence even more essential.

On-the-Ground Challenges

The team faced several serious obstacles that made their work even more difficult:

1. Access Delays and Security Risks

The 48-hour delay at the start of the mission showed how unpredictable access can be. These delays also slow down the delivery of much-needed medical care and supplies.

2. Staff Shortages

There were not enough trained local staff, such as scrub nurses and radiographers. Our consultants often had to take on additional roles to keep surgery running.

3. Lack of Equipment and Sterilisation

Some tools were unavailable, and safe sterilisation was not always possible. This limited what procedures could be safely performed.

4. Unreliable Electricity and Water

Power cuts and water shortages affected surgeries and post-operative care. These basic needs are essential for safe health delivery.

5. Overwhelming Patient Numbers

Each day, large numbers of injured people arrive at the hospital. The demand far exceeded the health system's capacity.

Despite all this, the team continued working long hours, adjusting, improvising, and doing everything possible to save lives.

What We Learned: Planning for the Future

This mission confirmed important lessons:

• Quick-deploy teams are essential for emergencies.
• Flexibility is key when resources are limited.
• Bringing full surgical kits is necessary due to local shortages.
• Training local staff will make long-term improvements.
• Planning for power and water shortages is crucial.
• Continuous presence is needed, as the crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory is long-term, not temporary.

These lessons will guide future missions and help us improve our support for families and medical teams in Gaza.

Is There a Follow-Up Mission?

Yes. The need in Gaza remains urgent. Many patients require long-term rehabilitation. The health system is still under severe pressure, and without continued humanitarian support, thousands of people risk losing access to essential care.

We hope to return soon with the same doctors, as their familiarity with the hospital and environment increases the effectiveness of every mission.

Why This Work Matters: Your Impact

Deployment 3 is a powerful reminder of hope. During a time of destruction, uncertainty, and restricted access to healthcare, medical professionals stepped forward to deliver life-saving medical aid to Gaza. Their work showed that compassion and humanity continue even in crisis.

Every consultation, every nerve block, and every surgery helped someone in desperate need. Your donations supported this mission, funding medical teams, equipment, and supplies that families across Gaza depend on.

As the crisis goes on, our response must continue too. With your help, we will keep standing with the people of Gaza, offering support, care, dignity, and hope when they need it most.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What was Islamic Help’s third medical mission to Gaza?

Islamic Help’s third emergency medical mission to Gaza, from late February to early March 2024, deployed skilled trauma and orthopaedic surgeons plus an anaesthetist to the European Gaza Hospital. They provided urgent surgery, pain management, and support to overwhelmed local teams amid severe shortages and high patient volumes in the collapsing health system.

Who were the doctors in Islamic Help’s Deployment 3 to Gaza?

The team included Dr Basil Budair and Dr Mohammed Abdus-Samee, both Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeons, and Dr Ahmed Kafafy, Consultant Anaesthetist & Pain Management Specialist. Their expertise in complex war injuries like fractures, shrapnel wounds, and blast trauma was vital for stabilising patients at European Gaza Hospital during extreme pressure.

What did Islamic Help achieve in their third Gaza deployment?

Over 11 days, the team completed 55 consultations, 39 major surgeries, 14 minor surgeries, 18 nerve blocks, and 7 patient transfers. These efforts boosted the hospital’s capacity to treat life-threatening injuries from bombardments, addressing critical shortages and supporting exhausted local staff in Gaza’s overwhelmed health system.

What challenges did medical teams face in Gaza Deployment 3?

Teams encountered 48-hour access delays at Rafah due to security incidents, staff shortages, missing equipment, unreliable electricity/water, and sterilisation issues. Overwhelming patient numbers from ongoing conflict further strained operations, highlighting risks for humanitarian aid entering Gaza via Israeli-controlled crossings.

Why does Gaza need ongoing orthopaedic and trauma surgery?

Gaza’s health system faces extreme pressure from war injuries like broken bones, shrapnel, and blast wounds, with hospitals lacking staff, anaesthetics, and supplies. Specialist teams provide essential surgeries, pain relief, and stabilisations, preventing deaths and supporting long-term recovery amid continuous bombardments and infrastructure damage.

How can you support medical aid to Gaza like Deployment 3?

Donate to fund surgical kits, anaesthetics, pain management tools, and rapid-response teams for Gaza hospitals. Your support enables more missions, staff training, equipment delivery despite access delays, and sustained humanitarian aid to save lives amid the ongoing crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory.